The Shadows We Cast
by Sparrow9612
Summary: After ten years of crime-fighting, the Powerpuffs have finally made Townsville a peaceful place. However, the plans of enemies both old and new, threaten to destroy all that the girls have worked so hard to accomplish. Set in an alternate universe. Reviews are appreciated.
1. The City of Townsville

**THE SHADOWS WE CAST**

**WRITTEN BY THE NEAR-SIGHTED JEDI**

**BASED UPON 'THE POWERPUFF GIRLS' **

**CREATED BY **

**CRAIG McCRACKEN**

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**Disclaimer**: Don't own PPG. Craig McCracken does I believe.

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**FROM THE AUTHOR**:

Hello all. Welcome to _The Shadows We Cast_, a hopefully dark and dramatic story I've had in mind for a while now. Quoting several authors: I hope you enjoy reading this as much as I enjoyed writing it.

There will be a few elements and references to Bleedman's _Powerpuff Girls Doujinshi_, of which I am a fan. In writing this fic, which I honestly hope to complete unlike previous works, I plan on making things dark and dramatic.

There will be gruesome moments, for you bloodthirsty readers out there, but do _not _come expecting a total bloodbath on par with _Evil's Shadow _*shudders.* The genre will be Adventure/Drama as of me typing out these words.

In terms of locations, Citysville and Megaville exist as neighboring cities to Townsville, all between a hundred to two-hundred miles to the north of Pasadena, California.

Townsville is to the north-west, Citysville is to the north-east across the Citysville Bridge, and Megaville is to the north a ways. Despite Townsville and Citysville both having waterfront districts, only the former has ever suffered giant monster attacks, for reasons unknown.

In terms of crime, think of Citysville as being Gotham and Megaville as Metropolis. One is dark, dingy and dangerous, while is the other is brighter and moderately more pleasant. Townsville in this universe, is a median between the two.

On to timelines. _The Shadows We Cast _begins around August of 2012. The PPGs were created/born in April of 1997, making them fifteen.

The Powerpuffs are fully human in appearance in this particular universe. For a bit of realism, the girls are triplets and the biological daughters of Professors Antonio and Lauren Utonium. Lauren died from complications when the girls were only a few days old. In terms of the girls having different hair and eye color, we'll say that the changes are a side effect of the Chemical X, much the same way Mojo ended up with green skin.

The Powerpuffs gained their powers at the age of five, after Mojo shoved the Professor and broke the vial of Chemical X, dousing both he and the girls in it. Shortly thereafter, the girls began manifesting their powers to their delight, the Professor's shock and curiosity, and Mojo's jealousy and feelings of rejection.

Driven mad by his sudden increase in intellect, Mojo fled and ultimately became the archenemy of the Utonium family in the same manner he did in the movie. However, his brain did not grow out of his skull in this timeline. His only physical changes were growing larger and stronger, as well as having green skin and reddish eyes.

Professor Utonium's first name will be Antonio. I happened across the suggestion on a PPG wiki. Whether this is canonically his first name, I don't know. I like it better than John, I'll tell you that much.

Several non-PPG characters often may also be mentioned or make cameo appearances. After searching around online for what Dexter's last name might be, I decided on Cavanaugh after his original voice actor. This idea also came from a wiki.

There will be no appearances by the Justice Friends. They don't seem particularly effective at crime-fighting (just watch the episode of Dexter's Lab 'Last But Not Beast.' They get their asses handed to them on a silver platter by Badaxtra. Consider them non-existent in this universe.

One last thing. Many of the Powerpuff rogues gallery will not appear due to various circumstances in-universe. To name all of their fates would drag this on too long, so I will reveal one: Sedusa died after her hair tentacle was caught in a crusher/shredder machine she attempted to kill the de-powered Powerpuffs with. She was pulled in and eviscerated, which the girls were unfortunate enough to witness. To see the crusher machine, go to Youtube and search 'This Machine Destroys Everything' by seedeeep.

Enjoy.

-Near-sighted Jedi, 3/26/13-

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_We stop looking for monsters under the bed when we realize they are inside us. _

-Gil Grissom-

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**ONE: The City…of Townsville**

High above the gleaming spires of Townsville a streak of pink light arced across the afternoon sky, coming and going as quickly as a meteorite. Those citizens of Townsville who saw it however, simply went about their daily routines. Long-time residents were used to strange things occurring in their city.

Fifteen-year-old Blossom Utonium was the source of the photon trail, which propelled her through the air at a cruising speed of four-hundred-fifty-five miles-per-hour. She was not born with such an amazing ability though, but by an accident in the laboratory of her father, Professor Antonio Utonium.

At the tender age of five she and her sisters, Bubbles and Buttercup, were helping their father sweep his lab when Jojo, the Professor's pet monkey, shoved him, causing his broom handle to shatter a container of the mysterious Chemical X all over the three Utonium sisters, as well as Jojo.

Within minutes the trio were flying around their father's laboratory and showing superhuman strength and speed. On their first day of school the girls discovered just how powerful they had become, ravaging Townsville while playing a high-speed game of Tag. Needless to say, the citizens were not pleased.

Ultimately the sisters who came to be known as The Powerpuff Girls, saved the city from Jojo, who had since become the evil genius Mojo Jojo. Accepted and beloved by the citizens, the trio quickly set to work keeping Townsville safe from crime.

Blossom was the leader of the The Powerpuff Girls, and took her job very seriously (Buttercup would say _too _seriously). As the sisters grew into young women, the three decided to omit 'Girls' from their team name as a way to show their maturity. Thereafter people simply referred to the trio as The Utonium Sisters or The Powerpuffs.

Despite growing up and having their own aspirations for the future, the girls still fought as a team when necessary, which was not often due to crime being rare nowadays. Most crooks stayed as far away from the city as possible. As for the super villains, the vast majority either retired, disappeared from the public eye, reformed, or passed away. For the past five years Townsville had enjoyed relative peace, allowing the Utonium sisters to focus attention on other pursuits.

In the present, Blossom flew up past the cloud layer and hovered in the air on her back, letting the rays of the sun warm her. Like Superman she could draw strength from solar power. Closing her eyes to meditate as she often did, Blossom very much enjoyed the quiet and solitude.

"Earth to Red!" The sudden, loud voice in her ear startled Blossom out of her meditation. Momentarily losing her ability to fly, she swore a blue streak as she plunged straight through the clouds like a red-headed lead weight. Catching herself well before hitting the ground, Blossom rocketed back up to the stratosphere.

Buttercup was hovering a few feet away, doubled over and having herself a hearty laugh. Raven bangs concealed a pair of striking emerald green eyes, which were filled with tears of mirth. She was clad in her favored green-and-black attire: a green t-shirt with three slashes across the front, a black tank top underneath for the sake of modesty, and well-worn black jeans. The slashes on her shirt were acquired during a fight with a rather small monster.

Blossom did not find her sister's amusement, in the least bit amusing. Over time the leader of the Powerpuffs had grown somewhat dour and uptight, often responding to Buttercup's attempts at humor with a snippy attitude or just outright blowing up and starting an argument. When asked, Professor Utonium stated his belief that Blossom was just stressed, like any leader burdened with many responsibilities.

Blossom chose to blow up today.

"Did you come up _all _the way up here just to give me a heart attack?" Blossom icily demanded, arms crossed, red eyes glowing faintly with anger, "I hope you have a _damn _good reason for interrupting my meditation Buttercup!"

Her omnipresent red hair-bow was bent back in the wind like the ears of an angry dog. When she wanted to be alone, the fool that bothered her was in for quite the dressing-down. Even Professor Utonium suffered Blossom's wrath once. Needless to say, he was **not **happy at being shown such disrespect, grounding her for a week.

Buttercup rolled her eyes, sick to death of her sister's venomous attitude. She snapped back, "oh for _heaven's sake _Red, _lighten up _and get the redwood tree out of your ass! All I came to tell you, is that I got some grub from the Golden Star." She held up several paper bags. "Do you want any, or have you finally mutated into a crab-apple tree and only feed on sunlight and rainwater now?"

Fearsome growls from Blossom's stomach immediately answered the question. Superpowers burned thousands of calories when used, requiring a rabid metabolism.

"Lunch sounds good to me" Blossom replied, finally calming down, "Let's go home." She silently forgave her sister for interrupting her 'me-time.' Her pride and ego, however, would not allow her to say so out loud. Flying side-by-side, the two sisters zipped away towards Pokey Oaks, the suburb of Townsville where they had resided for all fifteen years of their lives. Far below, the huge metropolis sprawled out in a hodgepodge of architectural styles, soon giving way to rows upon rows of humble houses.

Flying low, the girls waved to the various residents. Such was the life of super-heroines, the Utoniums were delayed getting home a number of times by people in need. Blossom and Buttercup rescued two treed cats, stopped a car with snapped breaks and saved a group of children from getting run over by said car. Good deeds done, the girls quickly reached 33171 Faust Avenue.

The cubical house with three huge circular windows, had barely changed since the girls were born aside from a blue, green, and pink paintjob, and a communication dish on the roof.

The kitchen (blue) was to left of the central house (pink), and the garage/underground D.Y.N.A.M.O. launch pad on the right (green). The girls bedrooms, now separated into three by walls, were located on the second floor. Landing neatly on the porch, Blossom and Buttercup went inside, letting out a sigh of relief as the chilled air washed over them.

"Ahh, home sweet home" Buttercup said to herself, making a beeline to the kitchen. She set the four carry-out bags on the table, eagerly tearing into the one she had marked with her name. She liked her food **extra**-spicy, enough to send even her sisters running for the milk jug.

Blossom called up the stairs, "Bubbles, lunch! Chinese food!" There was no reply for a few moments. She could swear she heard the strumming of a banjo.

Chalking it up to Bubbles' listening to music, she shook her head and dismissed it. Bubbles did not own any instruments that she was aware of, and could only play the drums.

Opening her heavily-decorated door ten seconds later, Bubbles quickly poked her head out, causing her shoulder-length ponytails to swing like a pair of blond ropes. "Be down in a minute!" the blue-clad Utonium sister answered, sporting her usual broad smile, "oh before I forget, tell Buttercup not to be an oinker! Too much MSG and she'll end up like Blob from the X-Men!" She snorted like a pig and ducked back into her room, giggling to herself.

Buttercup paused mid-way through a box of ghost pepper Kung Pao chicken and quipped, "I _heard _that Bubs! Best get down here or I might eat your lunch as payback! When I get all roly-poly from the calories I'll steamroll you!" She immediately resumed stuffing her face, though she smiled at Bubbles' humor.

In the decade that the Utonium sisters had been fighting crime, Bubbles had changed the most out of the three. Gone were the days of bawling over the smallest things or needing the hall light on. She could take any insults Buttercup directed her way, and immediately throw her own right back. Despite the frequent banter, they loved each other dearly as any good siblings did.

Maturity had been good to the Utonium sisters. Bubbles, having developed some nice curves, often turned heads wherever she went. Despite the attention however, she showed little interest in pursuing a relationship in the near future. She was of the belief that she would know 'the right one' when she saw him or her.

Buttercup was the strongest of the three since she worked out and sharpened her skills at every opportunity, retaining enough muscle to show her power while still cutting a nice figure. She had every intention of continuing her career as a super-heroine as long as she was able.

Blossom was an intermediary between Bubbles and Buttercup. While she kept herself in top form, her preferred activities leaned more towards the academic and scientific, giving her a slim but strong physique.

Bubbles came skipping down the stairs, humming '_Only the Young_' to herself. Taking a seat at the table next to Blossom, she pawed through a bag to see what was available.

"Thanks for buying lunch B.C." she said gratefully, grabbing three cans of root beer out of the fridge. Taking a drink of her own, she looked through the bags and was pleased to find the sweet-and-sour chicken she was fond of. During her childhood she had gone through a vegetarian phase, but resumed being an omnivore at the recommendation of the Professor.

Buttercup nodded her head to mean 'no prob' due to her mouth being full. She had finally taken up some semblance of the manners Professor Utonium taught his girls. That did not mean however, that she was totally civilized. Green and wild as the jungle, in her own words.

Professor Antonio Utonium, the girl's father, was currently away at a meeting of the World Science Council, of which he was a long-time member. The group included such luminaries as Professor Dexter Cavanaugh, Dr. Nora Wakeman, and a reformed Mojo Jojo. Blossom had ambitions to join the ranks after graduating college.

From what the girls knew of the meeting subject, there was a powerful new super-heroine, named in the news media as the Tiny Titan, who was earning the love of the masses over in England. She had superpowers very similar, if not identical, to the girls. The Council was to discuss whether she might have been exposed to Chemical X like the Powerpuffs. If so, then how had her parents acquired the rare substance, and who were they?

Titan's identity was of course unknown. What was known, was that her Cockney-accented voice confirmed her gender as female and that she or her parents hailed from London's East End. She always wore a midnight blue hoody, matching pants, gloves and boots, and a simple steel mask to hide her face.

"So, what all did you do today?" Bubbles asked presently. This question was a ritual the family had taken turns with in recent times. This helped them keep track of each other's activities and what was going on in Townsville.

"Blossom and I rescued a couple of cats and save some kids from gettin' skooshed by a runaway car" Buttercup replied, "other than that I haven't done anything worth talking about. Townsville has been real quiet. _Too _quiet if you ask me. I want something to punch!"

Blossom fought back the urge to roll her eyes. "Prior to the usual day-saving, I went to the library for a bit and then meditated, until Chuckles here snuck up and scared the living daylights out of me. My hair is _still _damp from all the cloud vapor. I'll be blow-drying it for hours."

Buttercup shook her head. "Well here Ms. Vanity, let me save you the trouble. Hold still, this won't hurt a bit!" She charged up her eye-beams, pupils glowing bright red as the energy built up inside.

Blossom raised her hands in self-defense. "Don't fire your eyebeams at the table Buttercup! Hey didn't you hear me, I said put the peepers away!" Naturally, her protests fell on deaf ears. The red lasers passed down over Blossom's head for a few seconds.

Buttercup ceased her eyebeams and sat back with one arm draped casually over the back of her chair, unafraid of the fireworks that were likely to ensue. She was confident in her ability to restrain Blossom if her otherwise stoic sister lost control and attacked. She loved getting under Blossom's skin. That was her third favorite activity after fighting and training.

"Laser-drying sure is…effective" Bubbles said, nervously scooting away just incase her sister threw a punch or fired her own eyebeams. Blossom sat unmoving, red eyes wide. For a brief second, Buttercup feared she might have brain-damaged her sister. She was relieved when several blinks indicated that a driver remained behind the wheel.

Surprisingly, Blossom did not go hardcore and verbally and/or literally slaughter Buttercup. Instead she cracked up laughing, having a fit of the giggles not heard from her in many an age. Danger passed, Bubbles and Buttercup joined in with their own joyful laughter.

"Thanks for saving me the trouble B.C." Blossom said once she regained control of herself, "I'll have to figure out to laser dry myself. I think my mirror should reflect well enough."

Lunch devoured and bonds of sisterhood stronger than ever, the Utonium sisters settled down for a relaxing evening at home. All three piled onto the comfortable red couch, favored snacks in hand, to watch _The Secret of NIMH_.

Naturally, the girls were interrupted during one of the best parts of the movie. Blossom reluctantly paused the movie and flipped open her phone, an advanced model designed by Mojo. While she would have preferred red or pink, her former archenemy built the device in his signature white with purple stripes.

"What's the situation Mayor Bellum?" she asked, switching off the TV to avoid any distraction. She sat up, fully alert and ready for anything. Bubbles and Buttercup mirrored her actions, looking forward to fighting crime again.

Sara replied, "I just got word of suspicious activity from my brother, Officer Andy Bellum. He said one of the unused waterfront warehouses has been broken into by a large number of people in black cloaks. They have a number of captives, so rather than endanger those people by calling in the cavalry, he decided to call me so I could send you in. Hurry and go stop those cultists girls!"

"On it Mayor!" Blossom replied, "we'll bring everyone home safe and sound. Tell your brother that he made a wise decision." She put away her phone and flew out the front door in a flash of pink. Bubbles and Buttercup immediately followed, wondering what the situation was.

Mayor Sara Bellum was elected in a landslide vote after the previous mayor passed away. She was, unlike her bumbling predecessor, highly competent and effective at her job. Townsville's citizens loved her, and the Utonium family considered her a dear friend and mentor.

Buttercup pulled up alongside her sister. "What's going on Red?" she asked, "sounded pretty serious. I caught something about the warehouse district. Giant monster right?" She grinned, sincerely hoping for a Godzilla knock-off to thrash.

"Cultists, the kind that sacrifice animals and people for their dark gods" Blossom explained, "pedal to the metal girls! We can't let those captives get hurt!"

Bubbles held a hand to her mouth, trying not to be sick. "D-do people r-really carve up innocent creatures like that?" she asked shakily, somewhere between tearing up and going hardcore. She held animals and nature dear to her heart. Once, she had come very close to incinerating the owner of an underground dog-fighting arena, but her sisters had stopped her from becoming a murderer. The scumbag still got his just desserts however, since the girls beat the ever-loving hellfire and brimstone out of him when he coldly shot one of the dogs.

"'Fraid so Bubs" Buttercup replied, "people will do the most evil things for money, or power, or revenge. You know that since we've fought pretty much every kind of scum and villainy there is." She felt a pang of guilt, remembering all the people she hurt to obtain money from the tooth fairy.

"Doesn't make it hurt any less" Bubbles softly replied, narrowing her eyes, "I'm going to kick ass extra-hard, B.C. There will be blood tonight, oh yes!" She punched her fist into her palm.

"Now that's what I'm talkin' about!" Buttercup exclaimed, "that is the Bubbles I want to see more often!" She held out a hand for a fist-bump, which Bubbles happily obliged.

Flying faster than any aircraft on Earth the Powerpuffs rocketed over Townsville, which was reduced to multi-colored blurs. Skyscrapers rapidly gave way to the city waterfront, which stretched along the banks of the Stony River.

Bubbles scanned the enormous warehouses with her x-ray vision, looking for any signs of life. She spotted a large gathering of people in Warehouse 32 and reported this to her sisters.

"Good thinking Bubs, using x-ray vision!" Buttercup complimented, "I'll admit I was wrong about you being a total ditzy-doo. There is a decent brain in your head after all."

Bubbles flatly replied, "gee…thanks Buttercup." She sped up a bit to catch up to Blossom. Circling the warehouse, the commander and leader thought up a plan and she thought it up quick.

"We can't go crashing in like we usually do" she said after a few moments, "the cultists might panic and kill their captives. We sneak in and catch them off-guard. These old buildings have catwalks in the upper sections, so find a window and get in that way. We will observe and see what we are up against."

Buttercup, who had been looking forward to immediately creaming the bad guys in a blaze of glorious fisticuffs, grumbled her disapproval but stood by Blossom's plan. She loved a good fight, but the lives of the citizens were far more important. Buttercup was not so callous as to put innocent people in danger for her own benefit. Not anymore, anyway.

Plan in mind, the three sisters flew up to the roof and peered in through the skylight, taking great care not to be seen. Numerous metal barrels, filled with wood and other debris, had been ignited for warmth, light, and atmosphere. Flames cast long and eerily moving shadows across the walls, making it seem like they had a life of their own.

Just as Andy reported, there were hundreds of black-cloaked people gathered around a makeshift platform at the center of the warehouse.

Tied to the beams were four captives: three terrified women, and one tall, red-haired man who looked battered and half-conscious. Clad in the uniform of the Townsville P.D. The Powerpuffs immediately recognized him as Officer Andrew Bellum.

"Looks like Andy got caught" Blossom grimly whispered, "we know he reported in, so…damn, I bet the cultists are expecting half the cops in Townsville to show up! Stay alert girls." She scanned the surrounding area for signs of guards or hired thugs, not finding any signs of life aside from a few rats and nesting seabirds.

"True that may be Blossom, but what the creeps _don't _expect is for three super-powered teenagers to crash the party!" Buttercup countered, grinning savagely with a fire in her eyes that evil-doers knew meant trouble and ample time spent in a full-body cast.

Blossom hovered over to one of the upper windows. She used a quick zap of her laser vision to cut the lock and slip inside. Bubbles and Buttercup trailed close behind, watching each other's backs. The trio had learned long ago that they were more vulnerable if caught off-guard.

One cloaked evildoer, taller than the rest by at least a foot and clearly the leader, addressed his followers in a deep and resonant voice that reminded the girls far too much of HIM. The interior of the man's hood was completely dark.

Taking cover behind a pair of large crates, the Powerpuffs watched the proceedings down below.

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"We gather here tonight for only one purpose" the cult leader began, looking around at his puppets. He had easily duped a wide variety of dark-worshipping men and women into flocking to his side like the sheep they were. "We are to bring a demon unto this mortal plane."

Despite being influenced, the gathered people kept their free will and muttered amongst themselves, wondering what their dark master was talking about. There were no such things as demons unless you counted HIM, and most these days thought him to have been a cos-playing hack with a taste for the theatrical. Everyone present was of the impression that they were here to chant in Latin, drink some wine or blood or if things got _really _wild, carve up some unlucky animals or the kidnapped people.

"However, I shall need something from you all" the cult leader continued once he had attention focused on himself again, "I will need…your blood and mortal souls!"

The worshippers immediately panicked upon learning the true reason for gathering in this dingy old warehouse. Scrambling for the exits, they were horrified to find huge metal bars blocking the way out.

"We have some guests it would seem" the cult leader said, looking right at where Bubbles, Blossom, and Buttercup were hiding. The crates exploded and threw the girls into the wall. Recovering immediately, the Powerpuffs leaped over the railing and landed in front of the cloaked fiend.

"Don't you move!" Blossom commanded, dramatically pointing at the cloaked man, "we're the Powerpuffs, and you are going to jail for kidnapping and breaking and entering!"

"Gimme a reason to kick your ass, just one!" Buttercup snarled, "try and run so I can cut your legs out from under ya!" She tensed, ready to leap on the robed villain and batter him into a quivering heap.

Move the man did not. He calmly replied, "I know who you are Blossom, Bubbles, and Buttercup Utonium. Fortune has smiled upon you this night, for you will be participating in a most important event: the resurrection of Mephistopheles!" He slid two pale hands out of his sleeves. Bluish energy crackled over unnaturally long fingers tipped with shiny black claws.

Before the Powerpuffs could move in for the kill, the cult leader fired a burst of energy which instantly dropped the super-powered trio to the floor like stringless marionettes. He waved his hand and the trio floated into the air, now fearful for their continued existence.

"When I get…feeling back in…my fists" Buttercup grunted, using all of her willpower to speak, "I'm gonna…pound you into the…ground like a…golf tee!"

Chuckling, the cult leader replied, "you have got a lot of fight in you Buttercup…I like that. Before you die I should show some manners and introduce myself, so shall you know the name of your destructor: I am Hesperian, a demon sorcerer of some renown in the underworld."

"When we get loose…your name is going…to be mud!" Blossom replied, trying to get her limbs moving.

Beside her, Bubbles was trying to do the same. She had no plans to be sacrificed to bring back Mephi…whoever the heck Hesperian was talking about. She loved life, and that included her own.

'Let me take the reigns Bubbles' a soft, slightly throaty voice commanded from somewhere in her mind, 'I will get our body working. Hesperian will not know what hit him. I will rend his flesh and bones asunder.'

Bubbles found the voice familiar. She realized with a sudden start that it belonged to her dark side, the personality she took on when in 'hardcore' mode. Bubblevicious.

'No, you are too dangerous!' Bubbles replied back, 'if I let you loose you might kill all those other people. I'll find another way to escape. You go back to whatever dark corner of my mind you crawled out of, and stay there!'

Ice cold laughter. 'I do not think you will escape from the binds without my help, Bubbles. When I am in control, I am faster and stronger than you by a thousand fold. Now let me take over or I will have to use force.'

'Never!' Bubbles focused all of her willpower on keeping her dark side suppressed. She felt Bubblevicious fighting back…and winning.

'No, no you get back you monster!' Bubbles snarled, 'I hate you, go away!' She was good, a champion of the light, and refused to give in to darkness. Never again would Bubblevicious harm innocent people. Bubbles struggled with all her might, but ultimately she was shoved into a mental cage in the back of her mind.

Bubblevicious took control and narrowed her eyes, which had darkened to navy blue. Flexing her hand to work the remaining pins and needles, she surged forward with a feral grin on her face.


	2. The Return of Bubblevicious

**From the author**: To learn just what a 'Howie scream' is, look it up on Wikipedia. To hear one, go to Youtube and search the name. Look for a video by 'TheSoland.'

Naturally, Bubbles/Bubblevicious would still be voiced by Tara Strong. When Bubbles is speaking, she has Tara's regular voice. When Bubblevicious is in control, her voice is a bit more raspy/throaty, like Raven only evil.

Hesperian is voiced by the talented Alan Rickman, and talks in a similar manner to Snape. Calm, cold, and menacing.

**Bit of trivia**: I had planned on having Bubbles' dark side refer to herself as Hardcore. Should I still do that later, or keep the name Bubblevicious?

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"_I am woman. Hear me roar." _

-Helen Reddy-

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**TWO: The Return of Bubblevicious**

Hesperian, for all his demonic power, was caught totally off guard. Breath took flight from his lungs as Bubblevicious plowed into him like a speeding freight train.

Crashing through the back wall of the warehouse, Hesperian tumbled end over end and broke right through the door of the next building. Coming to a stop amidst a pile of crates, the demon tried to regain his bearings.

Where had that girl gained such power? Hesperian had sensed a brief flare of dark energy, for nary a few picoseconds, before being struck by what felt like a whole planet. He juggled whether or not to continue with the sacrifice, or try and turn the fearsome blond human to his side?

Shaking his head, Hesperian opened his eyes to see the super-powered teen standing in the doorway of the warehouse, silhouetted by a blazing fire that was spreading rapidly over the ritual site. The flames cast Bubblevicious into shadow, making her look like some dark (and rather shapely) she-devil from the pits of Hell.

Rising, Hesperian conjured orbs of hellfire and hurled them at her. She was not there to be struck however, and the fireballs rocketed out the door to strike the warehouse, adding to the already massive inferno.

Hesperian felt fists relentlessly burrow into his gut faster than he could catch his breath or even keep track of where they were coming from. Never before had he felt such unspeakable pain. He found that he did not enjoy the sensation. Pain was only good if you were inflicting it on someone else.

Bubblevicious lashed one long leg upward, striking the demon square in the face. Hesperian crashed into the wall near the ceiling and fell back down. He was not so easily beaten however. As a member of the Paleskull Clan, who resided in the harsh western reaches of Hell, he was very tough and did not die easily.

Quickly chanting something in Dark Speech, he flared his hands out towards Bubblevicious as she launched herself at him. The furious super-heroine let fly a vile curse as she was flung through the warehouse roof. Swiftly as she exited she came crashing back down again, striking the concrete hard enough to leave a crater seven feet deep.

"Now, to make the first sacrifice" Hesperian hissed, stalking over to the fallen heroine. He unsheathed a kris dagger from inside his robe and hopped down into the crater. Rolling Bubblevicious over, he lifted her shirt to drive the wicked blade deep into the exposed flesh. Being a typically pervy male demon, he held some attraction to human females and could not help but cop a feel.

"Paws off the merchandise, creep!" Bubblevicious snarled. Navy blue eyes snapped open, burning bright with a cold, indignant fury. Kneeing her foe in the groin with enough force to bend a steel girder, Bubblevicious fired her eyebeams point-blank into the demon's chest as he flew upward.

Hesperian let out a Howie scream as he was launched out of the crater, arcing through the air to smash into the hood of an old car, caving in the entire front end.

Bubblevicious hovered out of the crater like an avenging spirit, arms angled out slightly to either side. "All this action _really _gets the blood pumping" she said casually, stretching to get a few kinks out, "what does it take to get _yours _pumping? Oh I know…having your head ripped off!"

Scrambling to his feet, Hesperian felt the force of the impact as Bubblevicious' fist shattered the concrete. She turned and zipped after him in a flash of blue.

Picking the hapless demon up by his ankle, she whacked him against the concrete. "Go…back…to...Hell…you…sick…**freak**!" she snarled, adding a word with each ferocious impact. She tossed the now battered, broken, and absolutely terrified Hesperian aside. Hefting the wrecked car by the rear bumper, she raised it over her head to smash the demon into a fine paste.

"Bubbles _stop_!" Blossom ordered, "You are a Powerpuff! We do not kill no matter how badly the villain deserves it!" She cautiously hovered over to her enraged sister. Buttercup followed close behind, looking around in awe at the devastated warehouse. She was amazed that her normally sweet-natured sister was capable of such destruction, making a mental note to avoid pissing her off.

Both sisters sported burnt clothes, scrapes and cuts, and a great deal of soot covering their person, having spent the entire battle getting the cultists and kidnapped people to safety.

Bubblevicious did not lower the car, but did turn to give Blossom the evil eye. "Why should I spare this…thing?" she questioned, "he was going to summon a demon, kill all those people, kill _us_, and to add to my list of reasons to squish him…he copped a goddamn feel while I was stunned."

"He did WHAT?" Buttercup furiously exclaimed, "I think that's a good enough reason to kill him Bubs! Smash the perv!" She shot Hesperian a glare so full of hatred that it sent him scuttling back against the wall.

"Put the car down Bubbles, and calm down" Blossom continued gently, "let's just turn this guy over to the S.C.T. and go home." She was desperately in need of a hot shower.

The Superhuman Containment Taskforce, S.C.T. for short, was a group tasked by the World Science Council to aid in keeping super-villains from escaping to wreck havoc. Their facilities also provided rehabilitation to those evil-doers willing to give up a life of crime. Mojo Jojo was one successful case.

Bubblevicious relented after several tense moments. Dropping the car in one corner of the warehouse, she closed her eyes and returned control to Bubbles. When her eyes opened, they were once more a clear sky blue, filled with apprehension.

"_Please _tell me Bubblevicious didn't kill anyone?" Bubbles questioned softly, "if she did I'll turn myself over to the S.C.T." She dropped to the ground and folded her legs up to her chin, hiding her face from view while she rested.

Sensing an opportunity while the Powerpuffs were distracted, Hesperian drew his dagger and crept towards Bubbles. He raised the knife to strike her through the spine.

Wearily stretching her hand behind her, Bubbles fired a concussive energy blast into Hesperian's face. He slammed into the wall and slid down it, little squeaking dizzy bats circling his still hooded head.

"C'mon Bubs, let's get out of here" Buttercup said gently, helping her sister up. Slinging one arm over her shoulder, the green Puff took to the air and set course for home.


	3. Friends and Enemies

**THREE: Friends, Enemies, and Family**

Blossom watched her sisters fly away. Hearing the crush of debris, she turned on the spot and fired her eye-beams at the demon's feet as he tried to sneak away.

"You stay right where you are!" she barked, "try and run off again and the next shot will take off your legs." She was tired and not in the mood to chase Hesperian down.

"I am in no condition to escape, due to the most unpleasant beating your insane sister gave me" Hesperian replied, brushing concrete dust off his robes, "can I not just walk around a little? Pretty please with eyeballs on top?"

"No, you _cannot_" Blossom firmly stated, leaning back against one of the remaining support columns, crossing her arms over her chest, "and my sister is not insane. We all have a dark side." She never took her eyes off the demon who had tried to kill so many people tonight.

Hesperian made a face at her, which went unseen due to his hood. He flipped Blossom the bird, receiving a scorched hand for his rudeness. Tucking the wounded limb back into his sleeve, he puzzled and he puzzled till his puzzler was sore, desperate to prevent his incarceration in some pathetic human prison.

"Villains don't stay free for long in my town" Blossom continued tersely, letting her tone show her disgust of the robed fiend, "we Powerpuffs always make certain of that. You are going to be locked up in a secure facility until you either die of old age, or reform and give up your life of crime."

Hesperian chuckled. "By the time I am old, you and your sisters will be naught but a distant memory, and I am not bound by your laws little girl. I follow the way of the underworld: do whatever you want, when you want. The strong rule over the weak. Mortals are the playthings of dem-"

Blossom froze the demon where he sat, tired of listening to him prattle on. With the threat of Hesperian neutralized and the S.C.T. arriving to surround the warehouse, she went outside to meet the squad commander, Brigadier General Morgan Marwick.

"Hello Blossom" the Englishman greeted, voice tinny over his helmet speaker, "looks like quite the skirmish happened here." Morgan barked a few orders to his troops, making sure they had the area secured.

Blossom told him the entire story while a squad member recorded her for the database of the S.C.T.. Report done, she pointed to the wrecked warehouse when asked for the villain's location.

Hesperian was lugged outside on a makeshift sled, pulled by six troopers, all of whom were wheezing from the strain.

"Gads Blossom, did ya have to ice him?" one of troops grunted, pausing to catch his breath. He dropped the cables and sat down. The others followed suit.

"He's an ugly S.O.B." another trooper commented, "not even the nicest mother could love **that **face." Blossom turned to see, curious as to what Hesperian looked like.

Hesperian's hood had been blown down by Blossom's ice breath. His humanoid head was a deathly pale gray and white, devoid of hair. The eyes were sunken and solid black, while the nose was a dark hole like a human nasal cavity. His expression was frozen in what could only be described as a look of 'WTF.'

Blossom wrinkled her nose. "Agreed. Keep him on ice until you get him secure at the facility. Hesperian has some pretty wicked magic. He paralyzed my sisters and I faster than we could move."

The troopers struggled onward to the S.C.T. van. Blossom took pity on the men and hefted Hesperian into the back of the vehicle. Giving a round of thanks, the driver started up the van and left for the prison under escort.

Returning to Morgan, she watched him remove his helmet, revealing a weathered and age-lined face that told of a lifetime of combat and hardships. Tough as nails but very kind, the man was familiar to the Powerpuffs, as he had carted off countless villains and monsters the girls fought over the years, including Mojo for the last time before his rehabilitation.

"Blossom you look about ready to keel over" Morgan said, concerned always for the health of his friends, "come have a rest in the spare van. I have some Materials Resembling Edibles that should give you enough fuel to orbit Earth a few times."

"I could do with a pick-me-up" Blossom replied wearily. She followed Morgan to the van and took a seat on the passenger side. Leaning her head back against the headrest, she closed her eyes and envisioned her nice warm bed at home. This had been one hell of a day.

Morgan opened a storage compartment and handed Blossom an MRE. He brewed strong tea in self-heating thermoses and passed the metal container to her. Blossom very much enjoyed her hot drink as she studied the instructions on how to prepare the meatloaf and gravy MRE. Ever the quick study, she had it pinned down within a couple of minutes.

"So, any missions of interest since I was last in Townsville?" Morgan asked, "the city seems rather more peaceful than usual these days. You girls do a wonderful job, you really do."

Blossom smiled and replied, "thanks Morgan, we do our best. Biggest challenge the girls and I ever faced was the Rowdyruff Boys the first time. Mojo kidnapped three orphans and exposed them to Chemical X, which as you know gave us our powers."

"Nasty little blighters, those boys" Morgan grumbled, "I look forward to locking them away for eternity." He was well-aware of the trouble Brick, Boomer, and Butch caused, and for that he wished for nothing more than to lock the bastards away in the deepest and darkest cell the S.C.T. facility possessed.

Blossom replied, "actually Morgan, the boys live with Mojo and are for the most part, reformed. Still act like obnoxious jerks, but the Rowdyruffs are not evil anymore."

"Well Blossom, you would know good from evil better than anyone" Morgan said, pausing to take a drink from his thermos, "I fully trust your judgement."

Blossom smiled at the compliment. Sitting in companionable silence while she and Morgan ate, she realized how late it was. "I've got to get going Morgan" she said, getting out of the van, "it was nice seeing you again, and thanks a bunch for the MRE." She took off in a flash of pink.

Morgan started up the van and left for HQ.

* * *

Detaching from the shadows, a slim figure dressed all in black crept over to the ruins of warehouse 32. Carefully moving debris, the person was clearly in a hurry to locate something.

Sliding a fallen section of the roof aside, the trespasser knelt to pick up a small but thick book. Brushing off soot, she read the engraved title: _Umbra Magus_. Roughly translated to English, it meant _Shadow Magic_.

Grin showing a set of rather prominent front teeth, horse teeth one might say, the trespasser brushed a lock of platinum blond hair from her face and tucked the grimoire away in a bag.

Taking one last look at the ravaged warehouse, she hurried to her motorcycle nearby, stuck a helmet on her head, and sped off into the night.

* * *

Bubbles woke up the next morning with aches and pains in places she did not know existed in human anatomy, but felt otherwise back to her old self. Her dark half was totally silent now, a sleeping dragon she hoped would never rise again.

Throwing off her powder blue blanket, the blond Puff stood and stretched, arching her back, making her spine and joints crackle with a sound like twisted bubble-wrap. Feeling a pang of guilt, she knew how Mojo must have felt after the beatings she and her sisters doled out on him. Grabbing some clothes from her dresser, Bubbles went to take a bath and let the hot water sooth her aches and pains.

An hour later she was clean, dressed, pain free, and ravenously hungry. Quietly making her way downstairs to avoid waking Buttercup, she caught the scent of coffee and frying bacon, letting her nose lead the way to the kitchen, literally hovering, zombie-like, to the source like an old cartoon character.

Bubbles smiled broadly when she spotted a familiar figure standing at the counter sipping his coffee. "Daddy!" she exclaimed, "your home!" She zipped forward and embraced her beloved father-figure.

"Good morning sweety" Professor Utonium replied, returning the hug, "you certainly are chipper this morning. Breakfast is almost done." He turned attention back to cooking.

Bubbles took a seat at the table, reading the funnies. Curious, she looked over at the headline of the _Townsville Tribune_. The picture was a black-and-white of the charred ruins of warehouse 32:

**POWERPUFFS NAB NEW VILLAIN IN FIERCE BATTLE AT TOWNSVILLE WATERFRONT**

_Last night the waterfront district was rocked by a fierce confrontation between the Powerpuffs and a new villain, name as yet unrevealed, which destroyed the unused warehouse 32 and seriously damaged warehouse 34. Repairs are underway and Mayor Bellum is quoted as saying that she plans to offer the city's beloved heroines a salary for their efforts. _

"_I am of the belief that Blossom, the leader of the Powerpuffs, will not accept the offer, having stated in the past that knowing the city and its citizens are safe is reward enough" stated the mayor's assistant, Sherry Brum._

_For a decade the Powerpuffs have defended Townsville from all manner of scum and villainy, and many are of the belief that the girls are long overdue for some kind of reward._

Bubbles set the paper aside, not bothering to read the rest. She was on fence when it came to the subject of rewards or payment. While she would appreciate gratuities in return for her public service, she could just as easily do without. The Professor gave each of the girls an allowance of fifty dollars each month, to be spent wisely or saved in some amount for a rainy day.

"Mornin' Dad, Bubbles" Blossom mumbled, taking her pink heart-print mug from the cupboard and shuffling over to a second coffee pot. Specially designed by Mojo to brew super-strong coffee capable of waking up a Powerpuff, he made the buttons so that only one with super-strength could push them. This prevented an ordinary human, such as a half-awake Professor Utonium, from getting a wicked dose of caffeine.

"Breakfast is served girls" the Professor announced, "help yourselves." He sat down at the table with his own food and some documents from the meeting yesterday.

Bubbles fixed her plate and turned to her father and sister. "I'm going to eat outside, okay? Looks like a lovely morning." She picked up her mug, a sky blue one with a simple white bunny, and headed outside. Setting up a lawn chair, she sat down to enjoy her breakfast and the late summer breeze. Pokey Oaks was quiet and peaceful, a ghost town so early in the morning.

Meanwhile, at the house to left of the Utonium residence, the garage door rolled upward and stuck halfway. Someone inside grumbled a few choice words and whacked the mechanism with some blunt object. The door continued upward.

Sixteen-year-old Robin Snyder rolled out a crimson-colored Triumph Tigress scooter, christened _Road Rash_ after one of her favorite video games. She had saved up her allowance all of last summer to purchase _Rash_ and all the right parts.

Robin was born in Omaha, Nebraska, and moved with her family to Townsville at age five. She was quickly befriended by her new neighbors the Powerpuff Girls, who did their best to hang out with her despite superhero duty frequently interrupting. Robin was duped by Veronica 'Princess' Morebucks into turning against the girls, but in the end she realized who her true friends were.

In terms of appearance, she was a modest young woman with simple tastes. Sporting a pair of striking blue eyes, she wore her long brown hair in a single ponytail and favored red and white clothing, generally overalls or a t-shirt and blue jeans.

"Good morning Robin!" Bubbles greeted once she took notice, waving to her life-long friend, "nice bike!" She leapt down off the roof and sat down on the low stone wall separating the Snyder and Utonium properties.

"Top of the morning to you Bubbles" Robin greeted back, smiling at the compliment, "took me almost a year to get the _Road Rash _in perfect condition, due to one thing or another like school and getting parts. Finally going to take her on her maiden voyage. Would you care to join me for a ride on this lovely morning?"

Taking the hand Robin offered, Bubbles stood. "Offer accepted my friend, and don't worry about a spare helmet" the Powerpuff replied, knocking on her forehead, "I've got a super-duper skull. One time though, I got clunked in the head with a falling beam and thought I was Mojo Jojo. I even stole his clothes and helmet."

Robin, having a good imagination, pictured such an event and cracked up laughing. Had Bubbles not caught her she would have tripped backwards over the _Road Rash_'s seat. After a couple of tries she regained her composure and put on her helmet.

Taking a seat behind Robin, Bubbles wrapped her arms around her waist, holding on just tight enough to keep from falling off. Sporting Cheshire-like grins, the two teens let out whoops of joy as the _Road Rash _sped off down the quiet streets of Pokey Oaks.


End file.
